


FE14 drabbles

by vype



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, Humor, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-10 02:23:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4373585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vype/pseuds/vype
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A place where I'll put my FE14 drabbles/stories. Angst, fluff, humor, all are welcome.</p><p>Chapter 7: A hypothetical A and S support between Saizou and Felicia. [longest winters]<br/>Chapter 8: Saizo, Kagero, a hill, and a moment under the sunrise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. ninja whistle

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [these](http://megidoladying.tumblr.com/post/124121437294/so-kannas-supports-with-his-dad-involve-him) [two](http://megidoladying.tumblr.com/post/124147198414/ok-so-ever-since-i-found-out-that-kamui-has-a-dog) posts, and a couple of choice tags from the reblogs.

"Ah, Kagerou, Saizou. And Suzukaze." Ryouma smiles as he steps into the dojo, and all three ninja glance towards him in acknowledgement before Kagerou and Suzukaze continue their spar. Saizou is sitting by the side, apparently rather disinterested in the battle going on before him. "You three are training?"

"Yes, Lord Ryouma," Kagerou says, dodging a swipe to the side. The two of them are zipping around the room so quickly that her voice flares between being faint and close by. "It's been a while since the three of us trained together. Though it's not quite training together if this oaf isn't getting involved."

She hurls a kunai at Suzukaze's face, and another one by Saizou's feet. "Oi," Saizou drawls, kicking it out of the way so as not to get impaled. "You wanted me to watch your technique. You don't get to complain."

"Ah, then, I suppose I'll leave you to it. Excuse me," Ryouma says.

"That's not nece-"

Immediately the action freezes. 

Suzukaze's mouth snaps shut and he nearly runs into a wall before he stumbles to a stop on his heels. Kagerou has her arm raised as if for another blow, but she whips her head to stare far to the right, her gaze seemingly penetrating through wall.

Ryouma blinks. "Is something the matter?"

There's a brief stretch of silence before Suzukaze coughs. "No, Prince Ryouma, there is-"

Just as suddenly as they stopped, all three ninja flinch in unison. Ryouma watches them in confusion. Most disconcertingly, Saizou looks like he's beginning to be embarrassed.

"...Saizou?" he tries.

The man startles. "L-Lord Ryouma," he says. There's a pause, and then he coughs, getting to his feet. He's not meeting anyone's eyes. "P-please excuse me."

And he's gone, leaving only a gust of air to show that he was ever in the room.

Ryouma glances to where he was sitting, then up to between Kagerou and Suzukaze. Kagerou's trying desperately not to laugh but her lips constantly twitch into a smile before she smooths her expression back down. Suzukaze looks more than a little mortified but he's smiling as well.

"...I feel like I've missed something," Ryouma says.

"Don't worry about it, Lord Ryouma," Kagerou says. "Best to just pretend nothing's happened."

"Is Saizou fine?"

That gets a snicker out of Kagerou. 

"My brother will be all right," Suzukaze says, pointedly not looking in the direction that Kagerou was staring at earlier. "Well, Kagerou and I should return to training."

"Of course," Ryouma says, still feeling incredibly lost. "It's a shame that Saizou won't be joining you."

"I'm sure that he's getting a thorough workout of his own," Kagerou says slyly. 

Suzukaze almost chokes. "Kagerou!" He turns towards her, but she goes for a high kick and he has to slide to the side to avoid it.

"Don't go getting distracted in battle, Suzukaze! Have a good day, Lord Ryouma. If you see Saizou later on don't forget to congratulate him," she calls, already blurring into motion as Suzukaze begins his offensive.

"...Okay?"


	2. [longest winters] Saizou/Felicia C Support

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hypothetical C support between Saizou and Felicia should... certain events come to pass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _the longest winters still beget spring_ is a continuity I've been thinking about for a while. It basically follows the Hoshido route and, as such, will have major plot spoilers. There will be other short bits set in this continuity later on. If it's part of this continuity it'll be indicated in the chapter title. 
> 
> Also, liberal headcanons about the Ice Tribe here. This is not even remotely close to how their actual C support goes.

She's never been the best at precise control, but this isn't an appropriate time to be celebrating any successes. Quite the opposite, really.

"There," Felicia murmurs, setting down the ice sculpture on the corner of her desk. She's burned through three candles just to finish this and it deserves a special place to stand. If Joker was around to see it he'd probably be up in arms about unnecessary clutter but if she explains it to him, she thinks he'll understand. Beneath all the insults and grumpiness, Joker's really kind at heart.

"Making dolls in your spare time?" comes a voice from the door that she's sure she locked.

Felicia squeaks, spinning around in a twirl of skirts and ribbons. "Ah, Saizou! It's rude to sneak up on people!"

The ends of his scarf are in tatters from the day's earlier battle, and the way he leans against the doorframe hides how much he still favors his right leg. Felicia frowns.

"You didn't get Princess Sakura to look at your wounds? Wait, I have a staff somewhere..." she says, moving to the shelf where she keeps her weapons. Oh, and she hasn't gotten a chance to clean those up either; her kunai need to be sharpened again before they set out to march tomorrow morning so she'll have to wake up earlier than normal...

"I'm fine, I have a vulnerary in my room," Saizou says. His voice is further into her room, which is what makes her turn around. Now he's standing right by her desk. His hand trails on the edge of the wooden surface, the slightest nudge away from brushing against her sculpture. "You're old enough to not need a doll anymore, aren't you?"

"Don't touch that!"

Maybe it's not fair to snap without explaining but she really, really doesn't want him to touch it. Because- because, even though she's never been as close to the rest of the Ice Tribe as... as...

"That's your sister." Saizou's withdrawn his hand. "Isn't it bad luck to create images of the dead?"

Felicia will not cry. She's done with crying. It's hard though, to think of her sister, her dearest older sister who she couldn't save. "It's a custom of the Ice Tribe. F-for mourning..." Felicia swallows. "You make a sculpture of the d- the person, and leave it out until it melts. Once it melts, their spirit has truly left the ice and you can let go of them."

"So that's it," Saizou says. There's an odd note to his voice that catches Felicia's attention.

...Oh. Oh.

"I-if you want," she says, and then pauses to lick her lips. "If you want, I could make one of... your brother..."

It's very silent for a moment. Felicia doesn't dare to look up to meet Saizou's expression.

And at last, he says, "You could?"

"Y-yeah." Felicia twiddles her thumbs. "I can make one of him, but... um..."

"What."

"Well, sort of, the point of it is to think of memories of them while you make it, so their soul will live on. But, I don't really know anything about him, so... uh... could you... maybe, tell me about him? We never really talked that much, so..."

Saizou is silent a moment more. "All right."

Felicia perks up, blinking in surprise. She hadn't expected him to agree. "O-okay. So, um, whenever you're ready."

It's late, but she's stayed up later for far less.

Saizou settles against the wall, arms crossed, good eye already focused on some point and time far, far away. "He was always running everywhere when we were younger..."


	3. [longest winters] mending wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belka delivers a message.

Being a prince was easier in Nohr, you think, even if it was still really lonely. At least back then all you really had to do was train and read some stuffy old military texts and train some more. Now there's reparation arrangements to make and some provincial disputes to look over and there's so much parchment in your room that you could probably turn it into a library. 

The candle's barely more than a stub when you become aware that your hair is being blown by a late night breeze. 

You remember closing the window.

"Prince Kamui of Hoshido," says a voice from behind you. You recognize it. "I expected castle security to be tighter."

"Belka." Slowly, very slowly, you push your chair back and stand without turning around. Your knees ache from sitting down for so long and Yatogami is leaning against the side of your desk still in its sheath. Belka no doubt has a knife drawn already. "Are you here to kill me?"

"I go where my master asks me," she responds.

"...Did Camilla ask you to kill me."

"I have my orders." It's not really an answer. "Turn around."

You could call for someone. There's bound to be a ninja nearby, even though you'd probably get a knife to the back before you got the second syllable out. Or, you could just accept whatever it is that's coming.

"All right," you say.

Belka doesn't look any different. Despite all the time you spent with Camilla, you never interacted with her retainers much during your time in Nohr, but she seems as normal as ever, for whatever values of normal apply to an assassin. She examines you quickly, eyes flickering over your form. You wonder what you look like to her.

But she reaches one hand into a pouch at her hip, rooting about it for a moment before pulling out a roll of paper. It's tossed to you without any other fanfare.

"Here," she says.

You don't fumble as you catch it. "Thanks," you say. 

You turn it over and Camilla's personal seal is there in the wax, the roaring dragon and curling thorns pressed deep into the purple. There's a rustling noise in front of you, but it takes you long enough to pull your eyes from the letter that Belka's already gone through the window. A few scraps of paper drift off your desk, but they can wait to be cleaned up.

The letter feels like home. It's a stupid and ridiculous thought but you know the texture of Camilla's beloved vellum anywhere. She taught you to write with it, a whole giant sheet filled with crooked letters and unfortunate attempts at cursive that you kept rolled up in your desk drawer all the way until you... well, no use mincing words now. Until you left Nohr for Hoshido. Until you betrayed them.

You wonder if it's still there. Probably not. Leon's the practical sort, right? He would have had your tower cleared out.

You realize you're stalling. But why wouldn't you? It's frightening. You haven't talked to Camilla for so long... She was never there during your (admittedly, rather infrequent) visits to Castle Krakenburg, and you stopped asking Leon about her after the third time he replied, "She's away." Last you heard, Camilla was going around Nohr with her wyvern and Luna, but you're not sure what she's doing. Searching for something? Or trying to lose something? Someone? Leon doesn't comment and you don't ask.

Your fingernail cuts through the seal before you can talk yourself out of it. Unrolling the letter, you're hit with another wave of nostalgia and this one almost hurts. It is indeed Camilla's loopy, spiraling script that spreads out across the page, but it's only in your memories that her voice is warmly saying, "Ka-mu-i, K-A-M-U-I. That's your name, little brother. It's a really handsome name..."

_The royal family of the Kingdom of Nohr requests the pleasure of Prince Kamui of Hoshido at the celebration of the birth of Prince Foleo of Nohr..._

It's as impersonal an invitation as one can get. No doubt Ryouma and Hinoka and the rest have received, or will receive, ones that say exactly the same thing, disregarding the name.

But...

Camilla wrote this. She wrote this herself, on her special handmade vellum, and she had Belka sneak into Hoshido to deliver it to you personally. That has to mean something. 

Maybe it's not a reconciliation, not yet. But, it's a chance.


	4. cooking hour with felicia (pt. 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the [Ryouma/Felicia supports](http://megidoladying.tumblr.com/post/124581445244/ryouma-and-felicia-supports-c-s). 
> 
> Sorry Ryouma.

"Ah, sushi... hmm..." Felicia gnaws on a fingernail. "What ingredients should I use..."

"Having trouble, Lady Felicia?"

"Ah!" She whirls around, coming face to face with the two ninja that just appeared out of thin air. "Please don't surprise me like that!"

"Sorry," says Saizou, sounding not very apologetic at all. "What were you mumbling about?"

"Uh..." She glances down to the piece of paper she's holding. "I was thinking about ingredients for sushi... I heard from Princess Sakura that it was Ryouma's favorite, so I want to try making some for him... But I'm not sure what kind of sushi to make." Hesitantly, she crosses off shrimp; she's not sure she can peel them properly.

"We can help," Saizou offers, rather unexpectedly. Kagerou raises her eyebrows and jabs him in the side. He ignores her.

"Y-you can?" Felicia asks.

"Sure," says Saizou. Kagerou steps on his foot. Felicia may or may not be imagining a cracking noise.

"Saizou," the other ninja hisses.

"What," he whispers back.

The two ninja have a very furious and very quiet conversation that Felicia can't hear. After about half a minute, Kagerou looks up at her and smiles. "We can go fishing together," she says. "There's a lake nearby that's very nice."

"Oh, thank you!"

(If Felicia could hear the ninjas' conversation, perhaps she'd be more concerned. This is how it went:

"She's going to poison him, Saizou."

"It'll be funny."

"We're supposed to be defending him from threats."

"His wife is not a threat. Besides, imagine the kind of faces he'll make. Remember that time with that, what was it, 'chocolate'?"

"I don't think you understand what being a bodyguard means."

"That's not a 'no'."

"...")


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kamui was very, very wrong to trust Zero when he said he would tell Leon about their new relationship.

Someone coughs in the background. Kamui doesn't really care. Zero is nice and warm and kissing feels really, really good and- wow, that coughing fit is really quite severe.

"Ahem. Zero. Kamui."

The unexpected and very familiar voice serves as a very good tool to halt every single thought process in Kamui's mind. He freezes, before shoving Zero away and gaping at the intruder.

"L-Leon!? What are you doing here!?"

"I should be the one asking you," Leon returns, nodding to a door to the right. "You're standing next to my room, after all."

As Kamui continues to stare uselessly at the door in complete and utter embarrassment, Leon crosses his arms and says, "Congratulations, by the way. Glad to see you're enjoying yourself, Brother. I'll admit, this isn't quite what I expected to find outside of my chambers, but at least it's not assassins."

"Oh gods," Kamui mutters, burying his face into his hands. 

"If it's you, I can somewhat understand it since you're not that familiar with the castle," Leon continues, as if Zero weren't still draped all over Kamui like an overgrown cat. "But I imagined _you_ would have a greater awareness of where all the important rooms are. Such as mine," the younger prince says, this time addressing Zero.

"Oh no, I'm very aware," Zero says, grinning. 

The implications take a while to settle in Kamui's mind. If possible, he blushes even redder. "Zero!"

"What?"

"Y-you said you were going to handle telling Leon!"

"And it's handled." Zero's grin is unrepentantly smug as the other man pats him on the head. "See, it all turned out for the best. Absolutely nothing went wrong, blessings given and all that."

"Should I go tell the others or do you want to do it?" Leon asks, eyebrow raised. "Because we're going to have problems if this is how you intend on telling Elise-"

"I'll tell Elise," Kamui asserts. "By myself." He pauses to think a bit more. "And Camilla."

"Smart decision. Maybe she'll be less likely to stab Zero if it's coming from you. But you should probably hide your new boyfriend just in case."

"You didn't say anything about Prince Marx," Zero points out gleefully.

Kamui shuts his mouth and resolutely avoids meeting anyone's gaze. He's currently in the stage of mortification so deep that he's far enough removed from his own emotions to be able to appreciate that it would be absolutely _hilarious_ to see Marx have a fit over this, but he'd sooner eat his own sword than admit it to Leon. Or Zero, oh gods.

"Wonderful," Leon says with a sigh. "I can already tell that Zero is going to be such a good influence on you. But do let me know when you plan on... telling Marx. Our brother could stand to lighten up a little, and I could use a good laugh."

"As you wish, my liege," Zero says, grinning wickedly.


	6. [longest winters] Saizou/Felicia B Support

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hypothetical B support between Saizou and Felicia.  
> C support [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4373585/chapters/9929336).

Saizou's hands don't shake as he takes the sculpture from her own. It's impressive, really. Felicia's never had as much poise and dignity in her entire life than he has in the tips of his fingers. He's quiet for a moment as he examines it, the pad of his thumb running over the edges gently.

"You even made his circlet," Saizou says, turning it over in his fingers. He handles it more delicately than Felicia ever thought possible of him. "It looks just like him. You're talented."

"Thank you. It's because of all the stories you told me. I didn't get the chance to talk with him very much... but I feel that I know him a little better. He sounds like a very kind person."

He looks at it for a moment more, and for the briefest moment Felicia sees just how lost he is; it's written all over his face, the hesitation and grief. But by the next blink it's gone, replaced with sharp angry creases and an arctic glare.

The blink after that, the sculpture explodes on the ground. Around them, it's quiet enough that the shatter rings in her ears.

"What's the point," Saizou snaps, his voice furious and sad and so, so tired. "What's the point of a statue to remember him by if I can't stop thinking about him _every goddamn day_." 

His hands are curled into tight fists, shaking and flexing like he wants to punch something. He glares at the shining fragments on the floor, some of them already melting away. "He was my brother. And now he's dead. A damn statue won't fix that. It won't fix anything."

"I know," Felicia says in a very tiny voice. This is everything she's told herself too. "I'm sorry."

"Being sorry doesn't change anything," he snarls. "Being sorry doesn't bring him _back_."

His voice cracks on the final word and that's really the last straw.

She hugs him. Maybe he's too surprised to move, or maybe he just needs the comfort of another person's touch (and maybe she needs it too). Either way, her arms are wrapped tight around him as they both sink to the floor, until Felicia is on her knees holding clinging to him like their lives are on the line.

Saizou's voice is even more muffled now, first by his mask and then her shoulder. "I was proud of him," he mumbles. "I never- never told him. That he's a fool with too much honor for his own good and I love him and I'm sorry I never told him..."

Felicia swallows. Saizou is too tall and broad, his body too warm, his voice entirely different, but... but that's the thing about grief; it's so easy to just imagine those words coming from Flora... and she... she always wanted to hear Flora say that to her...

"Damn it," Saizou says, hoarsely. "Why did you have to die, Suzukaze..."

Felicia clutches him tighter, her own eyes burning with tears she won't let fall. 

 _Flora_...


	7. [longest winters] Saizou/Felicia A Support (bonus: S)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hypothetical A and S support between Saizou and Felicia.  
> C support [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4373585/chapters/9929336).  
> B support [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4373585/chapters/10228791).

"Thank you," Saizou says.

"Ah!" Felicia spins around. "Don't keep doing that, Saizou!"

Okay, so it's only been twice. Excuse her for not liking being surprised.

"I'll keep doing it until you catch on," he says. "Those reflexes are going to get you killed in battle."

"You're a ninja, that's not fair." Felicia huffs. "Besides, I can defend myself in a fight, thank you very much."

"I disagree," he says, "but that's not why I'm here." He shuffles his feet, just a bit awkwardly. "Thanks for not telling anyone. And for fixing the statue."

"It's no problem." 

"But," he says, and something in his tone makes Felicia stand up straighter, nervous for some reason she can't explain, "don't you think the weather has been getting warmer lately?"

She blinks, thrown off. "Um... I suppose?"

"Then I wonder why exactly the statues haven't been melting," he drawls. 

Oh.

"Now, I know this isn't part of your ice magic," Saizou continues, "because I've seen your sculptures with Hinata, and those melted all over the gardens after a few days. It's been over a week, and those statues there on your desk look exactly the same as the last time I saw them. I thought this was supposed to be about moving on."

"I..." Felicia starts, but the words don't come. "I just..."

Saizou seems to sense something in her words. He sighs. "I'm not... good with these emotional things. But you listened to me when I needed someone to. And I want to return the favor. So..." He trails off, a hand rubbing the back of his neck. "If you need someone to-"

"I don't want her to leave," Felicia blurts out, before she can stop herself. Saizou stops immediately, and for some reason feeling his gaze makes her tears sting even hotter. "I- I know that she's d-dead. I know that. But I... can't..."

She tries, she really, really tries, but her tears spill over anyway. 

"It's stupid," she continues, wiping at her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I- I was just thinking today, and it's stupid. I was going out to the gardens to see the flowers and for a moment I forgot that Flora likes... she liked snapdragons, and I forgot. I don't want to forget her." 

He looks at her a moment more, before he exhales, a quick sharp noise that sounds like he's bracing himself for something too.

"I think," he begins slowly, "that there's a reason that the statues are made of ice in the first place. Ice melts. You can't change that, not forever. Memories are the same." He hesitates for a moment and steps forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. It's more than slightly awkward, but his hand is heavy and concrete and real, and it helps. "You're not meant to keep everything forever. That's why you have a chance to remember, when you're making the statues. Forgetting doesn't mean you love them less."

The room is quiet again, as Felicia does her best to clean up the rest of her tears. She sniffles. "Since when are you so wise?"

"I've always been wise," Saizou says. The haughty tone in his voice is just out of character enough to let her know that he's doing it for her benefit. She smiles, just a little bit.

"But really, thank you, Saizou." 

"Don't mention it," he mutters. He looks from the statues, then to the doorway, but there's enough hesitation in his expression that it's enough for Felicia to make the decision on the spot. She finds that she's doing that a lot with Saizou.

"Do you want to stay?" He looks at her almost like she's insane. "I- I mean to watch the sculptures melt, or the sunset, or we could talk and..."

Saizou snorts. It sounds like a laugh, or close enough to one that she'll take it. "Fine," he says, uncharacteristically gentle. He understands, she thinks.

Felicia is already smiling with her hands halfway to brushing off her skirt. "I'll get tea-"

Saizou cuts her off by standing up. "No, you sit there, and I'll get the tea. Knowing you, you're just going to trip and spill it all over the sculptures."

"How mean!"

"It's not mean if it's the truth," Saizou deadpans, and then he's gone.

There's no one around to disprove so Felicia indulges herself. She sticks her tongue out where he last was. It does make her feel a bit better.

He's back soon enough, a steaming teapot in one hand and a small plate of cakes and a pair of cups in the other. He sets them down in front of her, deftly pouring out the green tea into each of the cups.

"Oh, where did you get the cakes? I didn't know that we had any." There's a small round pink one that Felicia delightedly picks up. The icing is so cute! 

Saizou snorts. "I took them from Joker. Seeing as you're the one who is going to be eating them, you're also going to be doing the explaining to him."

She doesn't spit it out but it's a near thing. "Mean!" she says again, in between sputters. "Joker's going to yell at me!"

"I don't know how I'll live with myself."

"Mmmrh." Felicia almost sticks her tongue at him again but instead she just picks up another one. Well, it's a lost cause by this point; Joker's exactly the sort of person to notice even just one missing pastry. Might as well go all out, then. "Why don't you try one?"

"I don't like sweets," he says.

"But they're sweets!" Saizou gives her a look. "It's strawberry?" The look does not abate. "Oh, fine. You don't know what you're missing," she says, waving another piece of cake at him. "They're really good."

"I'll take your word for it," he says, eyeing the pastry with distaste before he turns his gaze back to the statues. "The tea is Kagerou's, so you don't have to worry about being yelled at again. If anything, I'm the one Kagerou is going to be shouting at."

Felicia picks up the teacup, raising her eyebrows at the fresh, bitter smell. "I've never had this kind of tea before."

"Savor it," Saizou says. He takes a sip of green tea. "Once Kagerou finds out she's not going to let me anywhere near her collection again."

Felicia giggles. It's nice. Saizou could stand to hear it again.

But she quiets, and settles down by his side with the cup in her hands. Her eyes linger on the two sculptures, the sunset painting their edges bright like gold against the red-purple sky. 

The ice is already melting. 

The thaw has already begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **S-support:**
> 
> "Ooh, you should try this one."
> 
> "Felicia, I really don't like sweets."
> 
> "Well, all right." A sigh. "You really should let me get the tea. I feel bad if you do it all the time."
> 
> "...Maybe next time."
> 
> "The sky is really beautiful. We should go stargazing next, don't you think?"
> 
> The rustle of cloth, and one hand over another's.
> 
> "Sounds good."


	8. art and love are the same thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saizo, Kagero, a hill, and a moment under the sunrise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think everyone's realized by now that I have a ninja problem. And the best way to address that problem is to write more ninjas, of course.

They sneak out just before dawn, because somewhere after Kaze left for the capital ("A punishment disguised as an honor," their mother said to him as Kaze packed his things, because yes, Saizo the Fourth had served King Sumeragi well and yes, Kaze was but ten years old, but there must be someone to blame for the tragedy at Cheve), Saizo's turned into the irresponsible one. The numerous hills crest around Igasato like petals unfurling around a flower's center, but the one with the best view of the sunrise is the one furthest east, nearest to the lake with pale blue wildflowers dotting its coast.

It used to be Kaze who would drag him by the arm so that they could watch the meteor showers, feel the chill of the mountain breezes in the autumn. Now he is on the other side of this exchange and he wonders if Kaze had snuck out for the sights and the senses, or simply for the thrill of running off with someone's hand in his. Kaze was always fanciful.

There's no more time to think of his brother now, though. He and Kagero have arrived just in time at the hill to catch the light, pouring down, as if someone had tipped over a bucket of sunlight and let the golden hues flow down the mountainside. The sunrise slips through the tangle of pine trees like a river diverted from its course, looping back and forth like the movement of thread on a loom. A waterfall in the distance, so far away that no sound carries, gleaming white and silver in the creeping light.

He's fairly sure that artists would be weeping at the sight, tripping over each other in an attempt to reach the pinnacle of the hill they're sitting on for a chance to paint the majesty before them.

Saizo's never been one for art, but Kagero...

Kagero, with sketchbook out beside him. Her fingers turning black from charcoal, like the layer of thick clouds she is sketching, the clouds that Saizo can find no trace of in the gray-speckled sky above. She is hunched over, supporting the book on her knees, so that her hair catches the full spray of sunlight. When a lock slips past her ear, it is backlit with stunning gold until it is a flicker away from auburn, outlined in nature's filigree pen.

She is frowning deeply, glancing between her page and the valley curling out beneath Igasato. The look is familiar--it is the same, somber set to her eyes when she is carefully cleaning her knives of poison, or trailing a target from the trees. She always throws everything of herself into everything she does, whether it is training, or sparring, or the simple pleasure of sketching the sunrise.

His heart, it does not... his thoughts do not stutter inside his head, his heart does not lunge out like it's trying to escape the confines of his ribs, he doesn't feel dizzy or overwhelmed or nervous, or out of place with this severity of emotion that he has not felt since he was a child.

He thinks, however, that he is starting to understand artists.


End file.
